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Pathfinder 1E Did anyone make Pathfinder Swordmage, Warlord?
- Thread starter Starfox
- Start date
Squire James
Explorer
I'd say the Magus is pretty much a Swordmage class unless you want to get really nit-picky about details. I mean, they don't wear MUCH armor (and with enough magic they can dispense with that), they toss actual Wizard spells, and they have some weapon and spell mechanics that Fighters and Wizards lack.
The Warlord could perhaps be represented by the Tactician options within the Fighter and Cavalier classes. They can't "scream and heal" or directly grant actions to others, but granting Teamwork feats to everyone for a little while is a pretty "warlordy" ability. It is very difficult to one-on-one match Warlord abilities as well as Swordmage and Magus does.
There needs to be more offensive-related Teamwork feats - they have lots of little defensive options but little more than Outflank and Precise Strike for offense. More high-level feats of that sort would help as well. Your friendly neighborhood Inquisitor would like this as well.
The Warlord could perhaps be represented by the Tactician options within the Fighter and Cavalier classes. They can't "scream and heal" or directly grant actions to others, but granting Teamwork feats to everyone for a little while is a pretty "warlordy" ability. It is very difficult to one-on-one match Warlord abilities as well as Swordmage and Magus does.
There needs to be more offensive-related Teamwork feats - they have lots of little defensive options but little more than Outflank and Precise Strike for offense. More high-level feats of that sort would help as well. Your friendly neighborhood Inquisitor would like this as well.
SteelDraco
First Post
I did a version of the Marshal and Warlord concept that I posted here a while ago. People seemed to like it. Here's a link to the class; here's the ENWorld thread about it.
There have been several other conversions of the same concept; I believe the Tome of Secrets for Pathfinder has several base classes, including a martial leader type class.
The magus is clearly the closest to the swordmage, particularly the 'dervish dance' magus build, which focuses on Dexterity, light armor, and fighting with a scimitar.
Starfox
Hero
I realize the Magus is the closest class, and I suppose you could probably make a Magus variant (or just a build) that doesn't use armor. I just wondered if a class conversion existed. Looking closer at the Kensai build option, that could be a pretty good (if very offensive) swordmage.
Looked at your class; it looks cool but shows how much work it is to make something like this - which in turn makes balancing it hard as there are so many unknowns. Still a very interesting read, but will take some time and effort to digest.
Looked at your class; it looks cool but shows how much work it is to make something like this - which in turn makes balancing it hard as there are so many unknowns. Still a very interesting read, but will take some time and effort to digest.
Starfox
Hero
A bit of thread necromancy. This is what I came up with on my own:
Spellsword - using armor
Swormage - No armor
Spellsword - using armor
Swormage - No armor
SteelDraco
First Post
So your spellsword is closest to an arcane-casting paladin, with arcane magic rather than divine, and some magus stuff in place of divine powers. You gave them the sorcerer/wizard spell list, which is the most powerful list in the game. Interesting - I would have expected the magus list, honestly, and that's what I would have done. None of the other 4-level casters (rangers and paladins) use another class list, because it typically means that by the time you get the 4th level spells, they're pretty useless. Compare a typical 4th level paladin-exclusive spell to a 4th level cleric spell, and the paladin spell will usually win out.
It seems like you used a different spell list at one point, since you gave them the magus's Greater Spell Access power.
I probably wouldn't allow two-handed weapons to work with Weapon Somatics without spending a feat or something.
What's a spellsword's caster level? I don't see that anywhere. Paladins and rangers are level - 3, can we assume that here as well?
For bonus feats, just say they gain a bonus combat feat that they qualify for. That's getting to the same point and lets you skip all the "spellswords are not fighters" text.
Why the arcane pool stuff but no access to magus arcana? Pathfinder classes usually have lots of options for class abilities.
Spellsword Step should have some provision for equipment - 'teleport only himself' suggests he'll arrive naked, Terminator-style.
For the swordmage, I'd look into how bonuses work. You have a lot of text that's unnecessary. You might consider dropping the "bracers of armor" thing and instead give them the ability to buff their force armor with their arcane pool. I'd consider rephrasing to something like:
Swordmage Armor (Su): As a standard action, a swordmage can surround himself in armor made of magical force. This provides a +6 armor bonus to AC, but does not encumber him as normal armor might. This is a force effect. This ability ends when the swordmage loses consciousness, but can otherwise be maintained indefinitely.
Swordmage Block (Su): The swordmage has learned to use magical force to parry incoming attacks. While the swordmage has a free hand and the swordmage armor power is active, he gains a +2 shield bonus to AC. This is a force effect. The AC bonus granted by this ability improves by +1 at 4th level and every 4 levels after that, to a maximum of +7 at 20th level. Activating and deactivating this ability is a free action; it does not interfere with the swordmage's actions.
It seems like you used a different spell list at one point, since you gave them the magus's Greater Spell Access power.
I probably wouldn't allow two-handed weapons to work with Weapon Somatics without spending a feat or something.
What's a spellsword's caster level? I don't see that anywhere. Paladins and rangers are level - 3, can we assume that here as well?
For bonus feats, just say they gain a bonus combat feat that they qualify for. That's getting to the same point and lets you skip all the "spellswords are not fighters" text.
Why the arcane pool stuff but no access to magus arcana? Pathfinder classes usually have lots of options for class abilities.
Spellsword Step should have some provision for equipment - 'teleport only himself' suggests he'll arrive naked, Terminator-style.
For the swordmage, I'd look into how bonuses work. You have a lot of text that's unnecessary. You might consider dropping the "bracers of armor" thing and instead give them the ability to buff their force armor with their arcane pool. I'd consider rephrasing to something like:
Swordmage Armor (Su): As a standard action, a swordmage can surround himself in armor made of magical force. This provides a +6 armor bonus to AC, but does not encumber him as normal armor might. This is a force effect. This ability ends when the swordmage loses consciousness, but can otherwise be maintained indefinitely.
Swordmage Block (Su): The swordmage has learned to use magical force to parry incoming attacks. While the swordmage has a free hand and the swordmage armor power is active, he gains a +2 shield bonus to AC. This is a force effect. The AC bonus granted by this ability improves by +1 at 4th level and every 4 levels after that, to a maximum of +7 at 20th level. Activating and deactivating this ability is a free action; it does not interfere with the swordmage's actions.
Starfox
Hero
Interesting comments, will bear some chewing upon. The spellsword is indeed an arcane-type paladin.
Since spellswords are shield-users, the penalty of using a 2h weapon is that you don't get your shield bonus - same as any fighting class using a shield or 2h weapon. Pretty esential and no need to balance spellcasting around that. The magus is not a shield-user, so it needs other rules.
About the spells, my first idea was to give them the Magus list. But I realized the point o the spellsword is not the utility combat spells magi get, but the odd/nifty spells wizards get - that's the feel I wanted for the class. I see now that some of the other abilities need to be updated to keep up with that change.
I cut back on the magus arcana mainly for balance reasons. but the class seems a little thin now so I may put some of it back.
About a warlord-type discussed earlier in the thread, I made that as an archetype for the Cavalier, but my name is boring: Officer.
Since spellswords are shield-users, the penalty of using a 2h weapon is that you don't get your shield bonus - same as any fighting class using a shield or 2h weapon. Pretty esential and no need to balance spellcasting around that. The magus is not a shield-user, so it needs other rules.
About the spells, my first idea was to give them the Magus list. But I realized the point o the spellsword is not the utility combat spells magi get, but the odd/nifty spells wizards get - that's the feel I wanted for the class. I see now that some of the other abilities need to be updated to keep up with that change.
I cut back on the magus arcana mainly for balance reasons. but the class seems a little thin now so I may put some of it back.
About a warlord-type discussed earlier in the thread, I made that as an archetype for the Cavalier, but my name is boring: Officer.
